Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 31 Jan 1995

Vol. 448 No. 3

Written Answers. - Kenmare District Hospital.

John O'Leary

Question:

79 Mr. O'Leary asked the Minister for Health if he will make funds available to the Southern Health Board to enable an extension to be built to the Kenmare District Hospital to cater for the increasing number of geriatric patients in the catchment area who are seeking admission. [2015/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The Southern Health Board inform me that Kenmare District Hospital, which serves a catchment area of approximately 6,000 people, has a complement of 26 beds.

There have been a number of recent developments in Kenmare District Hospital including the provision of two day rooms, which were provided by the Friends of Kenmare District Hospital at a cost of £25,000, all of which was obtained through local fund raising. The Kerry Hospice Foundation has also donated funds to upgrade one of the bedrooms in the hospital for terminally ill patients. The Southern Health Board are satisfied that full use is being made of the existing facilities at Kenmare District Hospital. The question of the provision of long-stay accommodation in Kenmare will be considered in the context of the boards' development plan for community hospitals which is presently being formulated.

I might add that short-stay and long-stay nursing care is provided in two registered nursing homes in the Kenmare area to which the provisions of the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990 apply. There are also proposals to develop sheltered housing for the elderly in Kenmare and these proposals will be the subject of discussions between interested parties in the Kenmare Community Council and Kerry County Council.